For the past eight years, it has become a summer tradition for Hedgerow Theatre to stage a Ray Cooney farce. This summer will be no exception as Producing Artistic Director Penelope Reed brings One For the Pot, one of Cooney's first plays (co-written with Tony Hilton) to the Hedgerow Theatre stage, July 10-Aug. 30. Jared Reed, co-artistic director of Curio Theatre which just closed its 2008-2009 season with an original farce, will direct the production. Mr. Reed said he "is overjoyed to be returning to Hedgerow" to direct another Cooney farce. Mr. Reed directed Cooney's Funny Money for the Hedgerow Theatre in the summer of 2004.
The Hedgerow cast includes audience favorites Zoran Kovcic and Susan Wefel (performing in their eighth annual Cooney), along with guest artists Nicholas Troy; Bob Liga, Danielle Adams and Hedgerow Theatre fellows
Carl Smith, Steven Carpenter and Clyde Brooks, a Temple University junior. Mr. Brooks calls the show a "wild, zany ride" and
Mr. Reed agreed. The play "takes a situation, inserts crazy characters and hopefully, the audience can't wait to see what happens next," he said.
One For The Pot ran for over 1,200 performances at the London's Whitehall Theatre, and since has become one of the most popular and revived of the Whitehall farces. When a wealthy Northern mill owner offers a large inheritance to the son of a former business associate, Billy Hickory Wood arrives to collect his money. But soon a procession of Hickory Woods arrive, creating hilarious confusion.
For the past eight summers, Hedgerow has showcased the work of Britain's
Ray Cooney, whose comedies have been translated into more than 40 languages and produced all over the world. "I just want to make people laugh!" says the playwright. Hedgerow Theater's acclaimed productions of Cooney plays have been: There Goes the Bride (2008); It Runs in the Family (2007); Out Of Order (2006), Move Over Mrs. Markham (2005), Funny Money (2004) Caught In the Net (2003) and Run For Your Wife (2002).
Tickets are $22 on Wednesdays; $25 for all other performances; with $3 discounts for seniors and $12 for age18 and under. Preview tickets are $20. The show previews July 10-16 and opens July 17 with a complimentary meet-the-cast post show reception. Performances are 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 4 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Wednesday performances July 22 and Aug. 28 at 1 p.m. include a complimentary intermission tea party.
Hedgerow Theatre offers group rates for groups of 12 or more. For reservations or more information, call 610-565-4211 or visit
hedgerowtheatre.org. Hedgerow Theatre is at 64 Rose Valley Road, Rose Valley, Pa.
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